Spontaneous Reactions

What are characteristics of spontaneous reactions?

The chemical equations can be divided in 2 groups:

1. The equations representing reactions that actually occur.
2. The equations representing reactions that do not tend to occur, or at
least not efficiently.

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 Spontaneous Reactions

What are characteristics of spontaneous reactions?

The chemical equations can be divided in 2 groups:

1. The equations representing reactions that actually occur.
2. The equations representing reactions that do not tend to occur, or at
least not efficiently.

A spontaneous reaction occurs naturally and favors the

formation of products at the stated conditions

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Spontaneous Reactions

• you might expect that only exothermic reactions are

spontaneous. Some processes, however, are spontaneous
even though they absorb heat.

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Spontaneous Reactions

• you might expect that only exothermic reactions are

spontaneous. Some processes, however, are spontaneous
even though they absorb heat.

Entropy is a measure of the disorder of a

system.

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Spontaneous Reactions

• the law of disorder states that the natural tendency is for

systems to move in the direction of increasing disorder or
randomness.

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Spontaneous Reactions

Reactions in which entropy increases as reactants form

products tend to be favored.

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Spontaneous Reactions

Reactions in which entropy increases as reactants form

products tend to be favored.

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RESERVED.
Spontaneous Reactions

Reactions in which entropy increases as reactants form

products tend to be favored.

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RESERVED.
Spontaneous Reactions

Reactions in which entropy increases as reactants form

products tend to be favored.

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RESERVED.
Spontaneous Reactions

Reactions in which entropy increases as reactants form

products tend to be favored.

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RESERVED.
Spontaneous Reactions

Reactions in which entropy increases as reactants form

products tend to be favored.

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RESERVED.
Spontaneous Reactions

Reactions in which entropy increases as reactants form

products tend to be favored.

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RESERVED.
Spontaneous Reactions

Reactions in which entropy increases as reactants form

products tend to be favored.

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RESERVED.
Spontaneous Reactions

What two factors determine whether a reaction is

spontaneous?

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Spontaneous Reactions

What two factors determine whether a reaction is

spontaneous?

• the size and direction of enthalpy

changes

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Spontaneous Reactions

What two factors determine whether a reaction is

spontaneous?

• the size and direction of enthalpy

changes
• entropy changes

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Spontaneous Reactions

What two factors determine whether a reaction is

spontaneous?

• the size and direction of enthalpy

changes
• entropy changes

together determine whether a reaction is

spontaneous.
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 Spontaneous Reactions
How Enthalpy Changes and Entropy Changes
Affect Reaction Spontaneity
Enthalpy change Entropy change Is the reaction spontaneous?

Decreases Increases (more disorder in

Yes
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
Only if unfavorable enthalpy
Increases
Increases change is offset by
(endothermic)
favorable entropy change
Only if unfavorable entropy
Decreases Decreases (less disorder in
change is offset by
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
favorable enthalpy change
Increases
Decreases No
(endothermic)

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 Spontaneous Reactions
How Enthalpy Changes and Entropy Changes
Affect Reaction Spontaneity
Enthalpy change Entropy change Is the reaction spontaneous?

Decreases Increases (more disorder in

Yes
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
Only if unfavorable enthalpy
Increases
Increases change is offset by
(endothermic)
favorable entropy change
Only if unfavorable entropy
Decreases Decreases (less disorder in
change is offset by
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
favorable enthalpy change
Increases
Decreases No
(endothermic)

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RESERVED.
 Spontaneous Reactions
How Enthalpy Changes and Entropy Changes
Affect Reaction Spontaneity
Enthalpy change Entropy change Is the reaction spontaneous?

Decreases Increases (more disorder in

Yes
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
Only if unfavorable enthalpy
Increases
Increases change is offset by
(endothermic)
favorable entropy change
Only if unfavorable entropy
Decreases Decreases (less disorder in
change is offset by
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
favorable enthalpy change
Increases
Decreases No
(endothermic)

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RESERVED.
 Spontaneous Reactions
How Enthalpy Changes and Entropy Changes
Affect Reaction Spontaneity
Enthalpy change Entropy change Is the reaction spontaneous?

Decreases Increases (more disorder in

Yes
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
Only if unfavorable enthalpy
Increases
Increases change is offset by
(endothermic)
favorable entropy change
Only if unfavorable entropy
Decreases Decreases (less disorder in
change is offset by
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
favorable enthalpy change
Increases
Decreases No
(endothermic)

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RESERVED.
 Spontaneous Reactions
How Enthalpy Changes and Entropy Changes
Affect Reaction Spontaneity
Enthalpy change Entropy change Is the reaction spontaneous?

Decreases Increases (more disorder in

Yes
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
Only if unfavorable enthalpy
Increases
Increases change is offset by
(endothermic)
favorable entropy change
Only if unfavorable entropy
Decreases Decreases (less disorder in
change is offset by
(exothermic) products than in reactants)
favorable enthalpy change
Increases
Decreases No
(endothermic)

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RESERVED.